Rocky end for Astrid?

Jul 30, 2013

Salvagers are determining if the grounding is the last chapter in the tall ship's colorful history

By Rich Miller

Astrid's masts rise from the mist off County Cork, Ireland

Michael Prior

Is this the end for the tall ship Astrid? The 136-foot, two-masted Dutch training vessel ran aground Wednesday near Kinsale, Ireland, after losing engine power in rough seas and strong winds. Everyone on board was rescued — seven adult crewmembers and 23 aspiring teen sailors — but the fate of the 95-year-old ship is in doubt.

Salvage experts are determining whether Astrid can be saved and if so, if the cost of the project will be palatable. The ship has a rich history: Built in the Netherlands in 1918 as a cargo vessel, it logged time working the Baltic Sea trade routes and at one point allegedly fell into the hands of drug smugglers. It was abandoned off the coast of England in the 1980s, then resurrected and converted into a training vessel.

The grounding and rescue made for compelling photography. Click here to see a slide show from The Irish Times.